Month: March 2026

4. NC House committee backs constitutional amendment to limit rise in property taxes

Greg Childress/NC Newsline North Carolina voters could be asked to consider a constitutional amendment requiring state lawmakers to limit city and county property tax increases. The state House Select Committee on Property Tax Reduction and Reform signaled its support for the measure on a voice vote Wednesday during a meeting of the House Select Committee […]

Written by on March 19, 2026

5. NC officials launch statewide DMV offices wait time estimates, current capacity status

Rodney Overton & Mary Smith/WNCN News After criticism for hours-long lines and tremendous customer backlogs, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles launched wait time estimates and real-time capacity status indicators for offices across the state, officials said Thursday. According to the NCDMV, the eventual goal is for customers to be in and out in […]

Written by on March 19, 2026

6. Former Sycamore Brewing reopens with new name and large crowd

Marshall Terry/WFAE Radio The former Sycamore Brewing reopened this past weekend in time for St. Patrick’s Day holiday. It has a new name, Club West Brewing, and is in the process of getting a new owner. Sycamore Brewing closed in early January, a few weeks after one of its co-founders was arrested on sex crime […]

Written by on March 19, 2026

7. Hundreds of jobs coming to new PSA Airlines HQ in Charlotte

WSOC News North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced on Thursday that 400 jobs are coming to Mecklenburg County thanks to the new PSA Airlines’ new headquarters. The investment is expected to bring nearly $250 million, Stein said during the grand opening in Charlotte. PSA’s relocation will help North Carolina remain a business leader, the governor […]

Written by on March 19, 2026

8. William Peace University announces 13th president

Ally Kadlubar/WRAL News After a national search, William Peace University has named Jennifer E. Walsh as its 13th president. Walsh has 25 years of strategic leadership experience, including being senior vice president for strategic initiatives and chief strategy officer at Hawai‘i Pacific University. The William Peace University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Walsh […]

Written by on March 19, 2026

10. Sixty years in one room: The heart of democracy on Panther Creek

Sabrina L. Greene/The Waynesville Mountaineer Before the sun came up on primary day, a generator was already humming on Panther Creek Road. The zero tape was signed before most people rolled over and went back to sleep. A miscommunication between the electric company and the election board had left the precinct dark. By 5:30 a.m., […]

Written by on March 19, 2026

1. NC elections officials reject Berger’s unorthodox request to examine 220 ballots

Will Doran/WRAL News North Carolina elections officials on Wednesday rejected a request by state Senate leader Phil Berger to adjust rules for the state’s recount process, as he seeks to defend the seat he’s held in the state legislature for nearly three decades. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page challenged Berger for his seat in this […]

Written by on March 18, 2026

2. How much more can air travelers take?

Emily Peck/Axios Even for those accustomed to the indignities of air travel, it’s clear that right now is a particularly terrible time to fly. The big picture: The Iran war is creating major travel headaches on top of an already chaotic situation at airports in the U.S., raising the prospect of a downturn in the […]

Written by on March 18, 2026

3. Amazon facility, regional projects forecast to bring hundreds of jobs to Wilmington area

Cierra Noffke/WilmingtonBiz Amazon’s robotics fulfillment center is slated to open by the third quarter of this year, said Holly Sullivan, vice president of worldwide economic development at Amazon, during the Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s Power Breakfast on Wednesday. The facility, situated on U.S. 421 in Pender Commerce Park, is expected to create 1,000 jobs and […]

Written by on March 18, 2026

4. ‘He’s free of all the politics’: How Thom Tillis became what passes for a GOP rebel in DC

David Lightman/NC Newsline Sure, Sen. Thom Tillis has become the most visible, outspoken Republican insider critic of the second Trump administration. But don’t mistake Tillis for a maverick. The North Carolina senator is being who he’s long been, the sort of GOP stalwart known as an establishment Republican. A Republican who’s conservative on fiscal issues, […]

Written by on March 18, 2026

5. Triangle county may join growing push to pause data center growth. Here’s why.

Tammy Grubb/The Raleigh News & Observer Orange County could put the brakes on big data centers in April, even though there are no proposals yet and very few places with the water and electricity to power them. The Orange County commissioners voted Tuesday to hold an April 21 public hearing before considering a one-year moratorium […]

Written by on March 18, 2026

6. As sports betting booms in North Carolina, so do gambling problems

Michelle Crouch/NC Health News & Charlotte Ledger Two years after North Carolina legalized mobile sports betting, counselors say they are seeing the fallout: drained bank accounts, strained relationships and young people — especially young men — spiraling into anxiety and depression after losing more than they can afford. A young man looking at his cell […]

Written by on March 18, 2026